


If the stars never aligned

by Florab3lla



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, No war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24114577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Florab3lla/pseuds/Florab3lla
Summary: In this life they don't fall in love when they are 17. With no Voldemort and no war brewing on their doorstep things just don't quite click into place. At school they are rivals but not friends and certainly nothing more.But soulmates will always find each other. And in the end the stars will align in every life time they will get the opportunity to choose each other.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Kudos: 8





	If the stars never aligned

In this life the starts have yet to align.

In this life there is no dark lord.

In this life there is no chosen one, no death eaters and no betrayal.

In this life there is just a little bit less prejudice at Hogwarts.

In this life they don’t find there way to each other until a little bit later on.

In this life the stars never aligned while they were at school.

In this life without the storm of war brewing on their doorstep they never quite fall together.

They are classmates, rivals, acquaintances but never friends and certainly never anything more.

It isn’t a perfect world by any means, no world ever is I suppose. But this, this one where Voldemort never terrorises wizards and muggles alike, this one where they don’t die long before they’ve ever really lived is maybe just a little bit brighter. Well at least from them.

They are both newly turned 40 and life is really just starting, all over again.

Lily is a talented healer and she adores her job, really she really does. It just isn’t quite enough to fill the holes left by her children when they are attending Hogwarts. She is so different to how she used to be, like any person Lily at 40 is far from Lily at 17. Her husband was killed in a freak potions accident when the girls were younger. Bright and thoughtful Iris, now a 3rd year Ravenclaw was 7 and curious yet stubborn Violet, a first year Gryffindor was only 5. She’s spent the last 6 years alone with her two girls, now with them at Hogwarts she just feels alone.

James is a well respected and decorated auror – I suspect there are few lifes where James Potter does not follow this career path. His son Harry, for James’ oldest son will always be called Harry after his father, is a fourth year Gryffindor. He is as wild and as troublesome as James himself was in his youth. His daughter, a first year Gryffindor, is quieter than her brother but Louise is ever bit as capable of mischief. Their mother – for they were never married took off when Louise was a baby. She hasn’t been seen since and James is perfectly okay with that. He had his parents for a time and he still has Sirius, Remus and Peter. And that until now has been enough.

It is Remus who sets them up, having remained a friend to both over the many years since Hogwarts.

Neither Lily or James entirely sure why they agree to it but they do. From what Lily remembers James is vain and big headed. But she needs to start somewhere she supposes, she’s tried a few dates over the last year but nothing excites her. Nothing has captured her attention. But when Remus suggested James well she concludes he is the right age, also a single parent and she’s sure he’s still as good looking as he ever was. Besides with James Potter she is bound to have a good time, right?

James had always like Lily, I doubt there is any life where he did not had a childhood crush on her and so he agrees. He’s intrigued he supposes to see her again.

So on the Friday evening at the end of September, the night air is warm but it has a decidedly autumn feel it. Autumn always was her favourite season. Lily enters the restaurant she will meet James at her eyes briefly scan the room but it not difficult to see him.

He looks different to how she remembers, she must look different too. What she does note is just the same is his hair - which is as messy and as dark as ever. He breaks into a wide grin and stands up to greet her,

“Lily”

“James”

And just like the stars start moving into alignment, this is exactly where they are meant to be.

They are both dressed smartly for their first date. Lily’s long hair is swept back into a ponytail, she rarely wears her hair down it is much too difficult to manage day to day and she simply doesn’t have the time or the patience for it.

She takes her seat, with a smile as James tucks her seat in. She’s nervous, she hasn’t felt that slightly sick feeling in the pit of her stomach in a long time. 

“This place looks really cosy, how did you find it?” she asks glancing round admiring the restraunt with its strings of fairy lights and fusion of muggle and magical aspects. 

He smiles coyly, “can’t give away all my secrets”

She raises an eyebrow in question before he goes on to explain,

“Peter and his partner own it so it’s become a regular haunt. The food is excellent though”

“So no particular recommendations?” she asks glancing across the menu, Italian has always been her favourite.

“It’s all good, anything is an excellent choice”

She smiles as the waiter approaches and takes their order. She orders ones of the pasta dishes and is only mildly taken a back when James recommends a wine to pair with it, it’s a good choice she notes. He knows his wine. 

“I need the wine, it’s been a long week” she admits as the waiter pours then both a glass, James smiles sympathetically,

“What is your speciality?”

“Magical ailments and afflictions, special paediatric interest” she responds, “I do a little bit of lecturing these days to the healer and medi-witch students, which is really enjoyable”

And just like that they fall into easy conversation over their work.

“You’re younger daughter Violet and my Louise have become fast friends since the start of term” he comments as they both tuck into their main courses. “Harry tells me they haven’t been apart”

“I have heard” she admits

He grins, “You have an older daughter as well don’t you?”

She nods, “Yes Iris, she’s a third year ravenclaw. She has just made seeker on the house team”

“Harry is Gryffindor seeker, has been since second year. I have to admit I am still a little disappointed he didn’t take to chaser but he’s a seeker through and through”

She shakes her head fondly, “I’m sure you and Sirius tried your best to get him to play chaser” she comments, “What about Louise?”

“She does favour chaser but she favours spectating even more so” he admits,

“a girl after my own heart I prefer by feet safely on the ground during that chaos”

“Chaos?!” he mock gasps, “Beautiful game quidditch”

Dinner passes easily, she is surprised how easy it is to talk to James. He tells her about Peter and Sirius and Frank and Alice, who he works closely with. Its been a long time since Alice and Lily were in touch. She in turns fills him in on Marlene and Mary, Marlene has been the best friend she could have asked for when it came to helping her with the girls. 

It’s later than they realise, quicker than they want.

He apparates her back home despite her protests. “I had a really good time Lily”

“So did I James”

“You don’t have to sounds quite so surprised! We should do it again, I’ll owl you?”

She nods with a smile, “I’d like that”

He kisses her cheek and steps back from her door.

“good night” she bids, slipping into the house and shutting the door behind her.

James grins widely and practically skips down the garden path. She watches him through the window with a small smile and wonders just what will become of her and James Potter.

**Author's Note:**

> Lily and James are always a pairing in theory i've really enjoyed but in a lot of fannon there relationship always seems a little rushed or forced? And certainly a lot of external forces always seem important in getting them together. SO I guess this lead to this?   
> Really I wanted to explore people coming together when they have a little bit more life experience and also to explore blended families. I have quite a few one shots written in this world but right now I just wanted to post this and I might post more later.   
> Lockdown has really helped me get into my writing zone. Writing was kind of ruined for me during my university degree which was very heavy of factual writing and it sucked the joy of sitting down with my laptop.


End file.
